Sunday, April 15, 2007

This is a reply to MLQIII's post on the rising belief that business is going to save this country. I say this is 100% dog shit. Business is the captain of corruption in this country. I look at the big leaders of today's business, and I see not a single bone of integrity and not a single drop of blood not motivated by an appetite.

Look at this multi-billion earning companies, how did they acquire that dominance in the market? -- by paying off every public official who gets in the way or by giving fees to public officials who squeeze private resistance to their companies' build-up. Save for a few exceptions, I can say this straight on the face of every big businessman in this country, especially those who fancy themselves as saviors.

How can business help save this country? A big player who corrupts creates a trickle down effect on the entire bureacracy. It sends the signal that the only way for bureaucrats to attain material success is to become the padrino of a big company --i.e. If you become President, a big businessman will pay PHP20,000,000 if you help out in their hostile take over bid of one of your country's corporate crown jewels. It starts a pricing war among the business players. Whoever pays the highest gets what he wants. In the meantime, the law, integrity, and public welfare are set aside in favor of the highest bidder.

When I was trying to negotiate a distribution deal in Vietnam, one of the principals with me blurted to the other side, "I like your country, because it's as corrupt as ours." I don't know how that kind of statement can win a negotation, but it reflects the thinking of business. It's better to bribe than to follow the rules. It makes costs manageable and risks predictable.

Since business holds the wealth in this country, the only way for them to save this country is for them to stop bribing public officials, get a bone of integrity implanted on their slimy backs, and get a blood transfusion from the monks of Tibet. After all, if they won't pay up and no one else pays up, what would be left for the greedy bureaucrat to do, but do his job or resign.

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Me: I'm not arguing with you.Ces: Then, just say yes with what I have to say.Me: What? You know the problem with this marriage is there is no democracy.Ces: Look, we'll have a bigger problem if we put democracy in this marriage.Me: And why is that?Ces: Because there is no one here to break the tie.Me: oh...